Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Alexandra Cost of Living Comparison Between Phuket and Alexandra

Monthly Cost of Living

A single person spends $1,232 per month in Phuket vs $1,004 in Alexandra, rent included.

A couple spends around $2,255 per month in Phuket vs $1,566 in Alexandra, rent included.

A family of three spends $3,279 per month in Phuket vs $2,128 in Alexandra, rent included.

Phuket costs about 23% more than Alexandra, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both Phuket and Alexandra are more affordable than the global median – Phuket 8% lower, Alexandra 25% lower.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$4.63 ฿151

$8.65 R 145

-46.47%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$46.84 ฿1,532

$33.67 R 565

39.11%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$8.84 ฿289

$4.89 R 82.0

80.78%

Cappuccino

$3.00 ฿98.0

$2.13 R 35.64

40.85%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.74 ฿24.25

$0.98 R 16.51

-24.49%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$0.37 ฿11.95

$0.81 R 13.62

-54.32%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$2.44 ฿79.8

$2.20 R 36.98

10.91%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.61 ฿118

$2.58 R 43.24

39.92%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.26 ฿73.9

$1.16 R 19.40

94.83%

White Bread (500g)

$1.84 ฿60.1

$1.07 R 17.89

71.96%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$2.24 ฿73.4

$1.62 R 27.19

38.27%

Eggs

$2.32 ฿75.7

$2.39 R 40.02

-2.93%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$19.67 ฿643

$7.90 R 133

148.99%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$3.65 ฿119

$4.69 R 78.6

-22.17%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$13.10 ฿428

$6.58 R 110

99.09%

Apples (1kg)

$3.39 ฿111

$1.62 R 27.18

109.26%

Banana (1kg)

$1.64 ฿53.7

$1.48 R 24.83

10.81%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.41 ฿79.0

$1.48 R 24.74

62.84%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.03 ฿66.4

$1.68 R 28.10

20.83%

Potato (1kg)

$1.56 ฿50.9

$1.31 R 21.94

19.08%

Onion (1kg)

$1.50 ฿48.94

$1.18 R 19.75

27.12%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.02 ฿33.50

$1.05 R 17.69

-2.86%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$0.49 ฿16.00

$0.90 R 15.11

-45.56%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$4.45 ฿145

$2.88 R 48.30

54.51%

Wine (Bottle)

$18.88 ฿617

$5.21 R 87.4

262.38%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.78 ฿58.1

$1.32 R 22.07

34.85%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.75 ฿90.1

$1.65 R 27.64

66.67%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.40 ฿45.81

$1.67 R 28.04

-16.17%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$11.48 ฿376

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$3.12 ฿102

$1.14 R 19.15

173.68%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.00 ฿32.67

$0.95 R 16.00

5.26%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$14.09 ฿461

$3.16 R 52.9

345.89%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.35 ฿44.19

$1.24 R 20.79

8.87%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$27.2K ฿888.9K

$19.3K R 324.0K

40.71%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$32.9K ฿1.1M

$23.6K R 395.5K

39.59%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$125 ฿4,087

$117 R 1,966

6.62%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$13.57 ฿444

$37.94 R 636

-64.23%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$18.52 ฿606

$37.95 R 636

-51.20%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$61.5 ฿2,010

$30.94 R 519

98.71%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$16.84 ฿551

Cinema Ticket

$9.19 ฿300

$7.45 R 125

23.36%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$698 ฿22.8K

$196 R 3,280

256.99%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$15.6K ฿509.9K

$4,290 R 71.9K

263.42%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$57.8 ฿1,889

$49.79 R 835

16.01%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$35.24 ฿1,152

$32.67 R 548

7.87%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$113 ฿3,699

$88.5 R 1,485

27.75%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$86.4 ฿2,825

$79.7 R 1,337

8.34%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$616 ฿20.1K

$362 R 6,069

70.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$446 ฿14.6K

$335 R 5,612

33.26%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,048 ฿67.0K

$681 R 11.4K

200.56%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,492 ฿48.8K

$678 R 11.4K

119.95%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,779 ฿123.6K

$828 R 13.9K

356.31%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$2,649 ฿86.6K

$646 R 10.8K

310.34%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$524 ฿17.1K

$1,731 R 29.0K

-69.74%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.33

11.51

-53.69%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Phuket: April 27, 2026

Last update for Alexandra: April 25, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A central one-bedroom costs $616 in Phuket versus $362 in Alexandra. Rent is usually the largest line item in a monthly budget, so the gap here sets the tone for the overall comparison.

Salaries run about 231% higher in Alexandra, which reinforces the cost advantage – you earn more and spend less. Purchasing power leans clearly in its favor.

A mid-range dinner for two costs $47.00 in Phuket versus $34.00 in Alexandra. Monthly groceries follow the same trend: $292 vs $178 – making Alexandra the more affordable choice for daily food spending.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Phuket vs Alexandra: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Phuket costs about 23% more than Alexandra, with the gap driven mainly by Groceries & Markets. That's enough to noticeably affect everyday spending and lifestyle for anyone choosing between the two.

For a comfortable life, plan on about $1,847 per month in Phuket and $1,506 in Alexandra. That covers rent, food, utilities, transport, and enough left over to feel settled – not just surviving.

Rent is clearly cheaper in Alexandra, especially for central apartments. Housing is actually the single biggest factor behind the overall cost gap between these two cities.

Monthly expenses with rent come to $1,232 in Phuket and $1,004 in Alexandra. The difference isn't just one category – it shows up across housing, food, transport, and services.

Kindergarten costs $698 per month in Phuket and $196 in Alexandra. For families with young kids, this one expense can tip the scales when choosing between the two cities.

A $1,000 monthly budget goes further in Alexandra, where all-in costs run around $1,004, than in Phuket at $1,232. In Alexandra it covers expenses comfortably, while in Phuket it requires careful planning or may not stretch far enough.

For digital nomads, it depends on budget. Alexandra costs $1,004 versus $1,232 in Phuket. Both have workable remote work infrastructure, but the cost gap matters when income varies month to month.

Both have safer and rougher neighborhoods, but overall safety is comparable to other large cities. Neighborhood choice matters more than the city-level comparison – central, well-trafficked areas feel secure in both.

If budget matters most, go with Alexandra. If higher salaries, better infrastructure, or specific career opportunities are the priority, Phuket makes more sense. Both are solid long-term options with distinct trade-offs.